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Mach 10 X43A Flight Successful

Posted by timothy on from the heck-of-a-commute dept.

Sector Bug writes "NASA's X43A research aircraft made its third and final flight today, firing its scramjet engine at Mach 10 (7,000 MPH) or close to it, setting a new record. "

12 of 370 comments (clear)

  1. Speed comparison question by Drakonian · · Score: 5, Interesting

    A (possibly stupid) question: How does this compare to the speed of orbital rockets?

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    Random is the New Order.
    1. Re:Speed comparison question by Fnkmaster · · Score: 5, Interesting

      While that is true, this is the first real scramjet implementation. Apparently, people think scramjets will go up to about Mach 15, or over 10,000 miles per hour. While still not low earth orbital velocity, it doesn't have to get there to be useful in getting to orbit.

      If a traditional rocket kicks in at Mach 15 to get the rest of the way to orbit, the savings in launch weight and thus cost from not having to carry all that oxidizer to get up to Mach 15 could still be quite large.

    2. Re:Speed comparison question by mazarin5 · · Score: 5, Funny

      To allow particle accelerators you need to expand your parameters a bit to include natural objects accelerated by man.

      No no no, you're looking at it all wrong...

      The particle accelerator is a man-made object accelerated to 0.99c.

      You just have to use the electron's frame reference!

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      Fnord.
  2. With apologies to Marvin by daeley · · Score: 5, Funny

    X43A blurs past the camera. It is silent.

    Marvin: "Where's the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom!"

    EARTH SHATTERING KABOOM!

    Marvin: "At last!"

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    I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
  3. I guess it is the first 7000MPH post by roman_mir · · Score: 5, Funny

    we shall call it the ludicrous speed.

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    You can't handle the truth.
  4. Also last flight of the B-52B mother ship ... by xmas2003 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The B-52B (tenth off the assembly line) first flew on June 11th, 1955 and among other things, has carried the X-15, Shuttle solid rocket booster, and finally the X-43A (on the same pylon as used by the X-15). Read more about the ol' BUFF at NASA.

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    Hulk SMASH Celiac Disease
  5. Mach by MikeMacK · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Mach Number" was named after the Austrian physicist Ernst Mach.

    I understand he was a very fast guy, much to his wife's chagrin.

  6. Muuuuch better shot for scale... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    ...had to hunt for it, but here it is:

    http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/02x43failure/ x43.jpg

  7. Let's hope... by HexaByte · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's hope that this type of engine isn't adopted by commercial arlines. If it were, a flight cross country would take less than an hour, and the flight crew wouldn't have time to get us all drinks and peanuts.

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    HexaByte - he's a square and a half!
  8. That 's around 12 000 Km/h by ArcticCelt · · Score: 5, Informative
    That's around 12 000 Km/h for those who use the more civilized metric system.

    (sorry I know this debate is a classic but miles say nothing to me and I guess that many international slashdoters feel the same)

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    Yahh, hiii haaaaa! -Major Kong, from Dr. Strangelove
  9. WRONG by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Not even close.

    Hubbles orbital speed is approximately 16,900 miles per hour.

    You are not even close. He was asking about orbital ROCKETS! Not objects in orbit. Orbital rockets are the things that lift the satellites into orbit.

    The space shuttle does not get anywhere near 16,900 mph on lift off. That is the speed it gradually gets to once in orbit, NOT ON LIFT OFF.

    After 60 seconds, the Shuttle has accelerated to Mach 1 (the speed of sound). About one minute later (two minutes into the flight), the solid rockets burn the last of their fuel. By this time the shuttle is over 25 miles high. The now-empty solid rockets are released in order to reduce the weight carried the rest of the way to orbit. [They parachute into the ocean off the Florida coast, and are recovered to be refilled with fuel and used again.]

    After the solid rockets are released, the shuttle is still attached to the external tank and its launch engines are still being fed propellants from the tank. When the shuttle reaches an altitude of about 57 miles, it changes trajectory to fly more horizontally, and pick up speed. In order to achieve orbit, it needs to accelerate to approximately 17,500 mph (~5 miles/sec). Once it reaches this critical speed (about 8-1/2 minutes after lift-off), the shuttle launch engines are shut off, and the shuttle separates from the external tank. The tank re-enters the atmosphere and burns up on re-entry. It is the only part of the Shuttle system that cannot be used again.

  10. Re:Yes but... by happyfrogcow · · Score: 5, Funny

    TOS Warp or Next Generation Warp?

    You should win a free slashdot premium subscription for that question.

    Nerd of the Day honors to you!